How is this type of reference defined?

Solution 1:

Tom Sawyer is the "archetypal" example of this sort of behavior. I would say that the user found the archetype for the askers he or she was trying to describe.

I think the usage fits both definitions very well:

the original pattern or model of which all things of the same type are representations or copies

and

a perfect example

The second is obvious, but I think the first applies as well. Probably Mark Twain didn't invent Tom's fence-painting strategy, but I'm not aware of an older popular example. I think it's probably the most efficient way to describe this behavior. If you were to say that you "Tom Sawyered" someone into doing something, many (most?) people would probably know what you meant.

Other good words would be "definitive,"

serving to define or specify precisely;

serving as a perfect example

Or "quintessential"

the most typical example or representative